Bumper for carpet sweepers



Patented Apr. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES BUMPER FOR, CARPET SWEEPERS Fred W.Bullen, Grand Rapids, lMich., assignor to Bissell Carpet Sweeper Co.,Grand Rapids,

Mich.

Application April 1, 193s, serial No. 199,382

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in bumpers for carpet sweepers.

This invention relates to carpet sweepers and particularly to bumperswhich surround the case of the sweeper to protect both the furniture andthe case of the carpet sweeper when the carpet sweeper is in use. It hasfor its objects:

First, to produce a new and improved bumper for carpet sweepers.

Second, to produce such a bumper of pleasing and trim appearance.

Third, to provide such a bumper in which rubber is employed almostexclusively.

Fourth, to provide such a bumper in which a minimum amount of rubber isemployed.

Fifth, to produce such a bumper which may be easily and simply placed onthe case.

Further objects and advantages pertaining to details and economies ofconstruction and operation will appear from the description to follow. Apreferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a carpet sweeper employing my improvedbumper.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional View of the corner of the bumper taken online 2-2 of Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the corner members employed in mybumper construction.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on lines 4+4 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings, I is the carpet sweeper case which is ofconventional rectangular shape. The carpet sweeper is provided with oorwheels 2, a bail 3 having a handle socket 4, and a handle 5. Metal endbars 6 are xed to the case and extend along the ends outside kof thewheels. At each corner is a rubber corner member l which is a section ofrubber channel which is formed in continuous length and is provided witha. central channel 8. The rubber corner members 1 extend around thecorners and are held in place by metal strips 9 which extend through thecentral channel 8. 'Ihe end bar 6 is perforated at I0 to receive theolset end or hook II on the strip 9. The other end of the strip 9 isperforated at I2 to receive a nail I3. This construction is similar inmany respects with that shown in my Patent No. 2,001,745, issued May 21,1935, for Bumper for carpet sweeper.

Extending around the case I and lying in the channels 8 of the cornermembers I is a continuous hollow rubber tube I4 of oval cross section.This tube is disposed on the case with the the portions of the tubelying in the channels 8 of the corner members l are compressed along theshort axis of the cross section and the channels v3 are of a depth toreceive the compressed/tube I4 so that its outer edge will lie ush withthe 5 outer edge of the corner member.

The rubber I6 forming the bottom of the channels 8 of the members l isof such thickness that when the compressed tube I4 lies in position onthe carpet sweeper case the outer edges of the 10 compressed portion ofthe tube lie substantially flush with the outer edges of the straightights I5 of the tube extending between the corner members. 'I'he tube I4is anchored in place. adjacent each corner memberby a nail Il extending1s through the tube which slightly compresses the tube at that pointonly.

With this arrangementit is possible to provide a substantial bumper onthe carpet sweeper giv-v ing a balanced appearance of considerablewidth. 20 By employing the single piecekoval band extending around thetube, the application of the bumper is greatly simplified and one isassured of a proper appearance. The tube lies with the long axis of itscross section parallel to the case and 25 in applying the tube it iskpractically impossible to twist the tube. The twisting of a rubber tubesuch as this under tension produces certain lines on the tube and lineswhich may have been formed on the tube during its manufacture are o alsopresent. If a tube which can be twisted is applied, the appearance oftwisting is present in the tube, but by using the oval cross section anypossibility of this appearance is eliminated.

The rubber tube being oval in cross section employs less rubber for agiven width of protection and still provides the resiliency which isinherent in a hollow tube.

Having thus described my invention, what I 40 claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a carpet `sweeper or the like having a substantially rectangularcase, a bumper construction comprising a rubber tube extending aroundythe case and compressed at the cornersthereof, corner members disposedat and extending around the corners of the case, each having a channelextending around the corner of the case to receive the tube and of adepth substantially equal to the width of the compressed tube, thebottom of the channel being spaced from the casing a distance such thatthe outer side of the compressed portion of the tube lying in thechannel lies substantially in the plane of the outer side of the of,corner members extending around the corners of the case beneath the tubeand projecting from the case to such an extent that the outer sides ofthe compressed portions of the tube lie substantially in the planeof theouter sides of the uncompressed straight flights of tube between thecorner members.

FRED W. PULLEN.

